IFPRI Central Asia Weekly News Digest (March 28 – April 3, 2018)

April 4, 2018

News Uzbekistan to reduce cotton export
On a working visit to the Jizzakh region, Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced plans to reduce the export of raw cotton and increase processing in the domestic market. Uzbekistan is currently the world’s sixth-largest cotton producer, even after an 8 percent decrease in production in 2017. One of Uzbekistan’s policy goals is to develop its domestic textile industry in order to provide domestic employment opportunities and increase value-added production. – MENAFN, Innovation in TextilesIFC supports expansion of Tajero and growth of food sector in Tajikistan
The International Finance Corporation is investing $2 million to support the expansion of Tajero, one of Tajikistan’s largest food distribution networks. Tajero’s products reach approximately 80 percent of the country’s retail outlets, targeting low- and middle-income consumers. Abdurakhmon Gaibullozoda, founder of Tajero, plans to use the investment to help the company increase the distribution of domestically-produced goods throughout Tajikistan. – IFC

ADB grant to further improve transport connectivity and safety in Tajikistan
The Asian Development Bank’s board of directors has approved a $90 million grant to rehabilitate a 40 kilometer section of the Dushanbe-Qurghonteppa road. The road, one of the most heavily traveled in Tajikistan, currently carries approximately 10,000 vehicles per day and is an important north-south corridor linking two major economic centers. Planned work will include expanding the road from two to four lanes, constructing new pavements and structures, and implementing safety improvements. – ADB

Regions of Kyrgyzstan to have clean drinking water by 2023
A Kyrgyz government official announced the goal of providing safe drinking water to the entire country by 2023. Implementation of projects began recently and will be completed in five years. The official noted that the most problematic drinking water conditions are found in the Batken, Osh, and Naryn regions. – News Agency 24

Tajik official talks migration agreement with Kazakhstan
The governments of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan discussed several protocols regarding the movement of citizens between the two countries. The two sides eased registration requirements for temporary stays and set procedures for transferring individuals violating existing regulations. – Trend News Agency

Analysis & Other InformationEDB: container transit along the China-EEU-EU axis is guaranteed to grow
The Eurasian Development Bank expects exponential growth in rail container traffic in the short term, aided in part by China’s promotion of its Belt and Road Initiative. Container flows between China and the European Union have increased from 6,900 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU, roughly equivalent to a standard shipping container) in 2010 to 262,000 TEU in 2017. According to the Centre for Integration Studies within the EDB, this number is forecast to further increase to 450,000-500,000 TEU by 2020. – EDB

Tajikistan, Russia airlines war takes turn for the worse
Aviation companies operating between Russia and Tajikistan have continued their standoff over rights to international flight routes. Russian authorities on April 2 announced that they will halt 11 flights by two Tajik carriers, to which Tajik authorities responded by doing the same to 11 flights by five Russian carriers. The ongoing dispute could have implications for labor migrants during the popular spring travel season. – EurasiaNet

Events & Call for Papers2018 Regional Summer School for Young Economists
Call for applications. 4 – 15 June 2018 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT). The course will largely focus on developing econometric analysis, policy analysis, and quantitative research skills for use in economics and related social sciences. The course is open to individuals who are engaged in research or are preparing for a career in research, are fluent in English, and are 35 years old or younger. Please click on the above link for further details. Deadline to submit applications is 20 April 2018.

"Agriculture Trade and Foreign Investments for Sustainable Regional Integration in Caucasus and Central Asia" Conference
6 – 7 September 2018 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Organized by Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economics (IAMO) and Institute of Scientific Research on Economic Reforms (ISRER). The aim of this conference is to serve as a platform to discuss options for regional integration in the Caucasus and Central Asian countries and to explore opportunities for increasing agricultural exports from the region. Researchers, public officials, and private sector partners are invited to participate. The conference will be conducted in English and Russian. Please click on the above link for further details. Abstract submission is open until 11 May 2018.

The articles included in this news digest have been generated from online sources. Any opinions stated herein are not representative of, or endorsed by, the International Food Policy Research Institute or its partners.